Dreams Reborn
by Purplesuberu
Summary: What would have happened if Lucky had woken from his coma with lingering effects? Primarily Lucky and Elizabeth L&L2.
1. Default Chapter

This is my first attempt at a fanfiction, so please let me know how you think it's going. Any constructive criticism or feedback is very welcome.

Anyway, this story takes place after Lucky is shot in the crypt by Helena. The only real difference is that Bobbie and Elizabeth don't know about Luke going to get the court order to take Lucky off of life support, although that is subject to change. Enjoy!

* * *

Luke Spencer walked out of the small hospital room and shut the door behind him. Running his fingers through his short white hair, he stood in front of the clear glass window that granted him access to the view inside.

His son hadn't moved. It had been three weeks, and there had been no change in him. For three long weeks, twenty one agonizing days, he had sat here, watching the machines breathe for him, watching LuLu kiss him, watching Elizabeth cry for him.

Luke had made a decision. It hadn't been easy, but it had been made. He couldn't allow his son to live like this any longer. What kind of life could Lucky really have if he was hooked up to machines for the forseeable future? Luke remembered the conversation he had held with Tony earlier that morning.

"Tony, I need you to be straight with me here. What's going on with Lucky? Why hasn't he woken up yet, and at this point, do you think there's a chance that he ever will?"

"This is a decision that's left up to you. I can't make it for you. Neither can Bobbie, or Elizabeth. You are his father, and this is all on your shoulders." Tony guided Luke over to a pair of easy chairs in the corner of the waiting room so they could talk more comfortably. "I'm sorry Luke. I know this isn't an easy thing to hear. But from all of the additional testing that we've been running, we've been finding conclusive evidence that Lucky will never regain consciousness. We compared his prognosis to other patients matching his description, and the results were dismal. Not one person in this condition regained consciousness. Not a single one. Now this is not only coming from Lucky's doctor. From one father to another, I know where you've been. I know what you're experiencing and the pain that you're going through Luke. I had to make this decision for BJ. It was one of the most difficult things I ever had to do, but I knew that my little girl was gone. She was living off respirators and she would never again draw a breath on her own. I had to let her go. There are some nights that I lie awake, wondering what she would have been like if that van had never been in that accident. Would she have been a ballerina? Would she bring home any boys that I had to contend with? What would she look like?"

Tony paused as he wiped the tears that had begun to form in his eyes. "My point here, Luke, is that I don't regret the decision that I made. When I think about these things, about how her life could have been, I know that she wouldn't want to grow up with a ventilator tube down her throat. I miss her, but I have never second guessed myself or wished that I made a different decision. Even though I wasn't able to save my little girl, I was able to give a fresh start to another one. Maxie is still alive. She's healthy, and she has a wonderful life ahead of her. I look at her, and I can hear BJ's heart still beating inside of her. A part of BJ lives on, even though her prescence can't be here with me any longer. Lucky is in a similar situation. I'm sure that you know the longer somebody stays in a coma, the less the chances are that they will regain consciousness. Even if they do, there is a severe threat of brain damage or other long term injuries. This is your decision Luke. But you need to think of Lucky's needs, not your own. I can't tell you what to do, but as his doctor, I think that you need to consider letting him go."

Tony's words still echoed through Luke's mind as he looked at his son. Deep within his heart, he knew that Tony was right. But it didn't make this decision any easier. How could he really justify terminating the life of his first born son?

Thinking back to Lucky's childhood, Luke smiled. He was never really a little boy. He knew how to survive, and could make it on his own if the need arose. He had been a tough independent grown up stuck in the body of a ten year old boy.

As Luke studied his son's still form through the window, he laughed. It was so ironic. Even as a child he had never shown weakness, but now, well, Luke had never seen him look so helpless. And for once, he couldn't fix it. There was nothing he could do to remedy this situation.

Taking a breath to steady his nerves, Luke started walking towards the Nurses Station. He couldn't put this off any longer. He had to tell Barbara and Elizabeth about what the future held for one of the most important men in their lives.

* * *

Elizabeth Webber slammed down the stack of charts she had been holding in her hands. This wasn't fair. They had spent too much time being separated. They had lost years with one another because of Helena. And now that they had finally gotten back on track and started on a path back towards each other, he was on the brink of death? Again, Helena had swooped in and stolen the potential happiness from underneath them.

Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair as she sat on the overstuffed easy chair in the nearby waiting area. Putting her head in her hands, tears began to fill her eyes. Beginning to let her tears fall, Elizabeth was surprised by a gentle tap on the shoulder.

Raising her head to look at the intruder, Elizabeth noted the worried expression that Bobbie Spencer wore on her features as she stood over her. Sitting down in the adjacent chair, Bobbie gave Elizabeth a sympathetic look before asking her a simple question.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Elizabeth smiled. Bobbie had always known what was going on inside her. She never wasted time with incessant questions. She was always able to see right through Elizabeth into what was in her heart. After so many years had passed, it was comforting to realize that some things remained very much the same.

"I'm just worried about Lucky. Bobbie, what if he doesn't come out of this?"

"He will. Lucky is strong. He gets that from his dad. You can never keep a Spencer down. I think that Luke is living proof of that, and Lucky is so much his father's son. Lucky will pull through. I know that things don't look good, but you have to remember that miracles happen here every day. Lucky is young and healthy. He has every reason to pull through this without any lasting damage."

"I know you're just as worried as I am Bobbie. You love him too. I'm sorry to make you focus on me when you have your own grief to contend with."

"Elizabeth, I am Lucky's aunt. And that's a very special position to me. He holds a piece of my heart that nobody else will ever be able to have. But you don't have to apologize for your grief, or compare it to mine. I know you're hurting too." Bobbie paused while looking for the right words to say. Maybe now wasn't the most appropriate time, but given the position her nephew was in, time wasn't exactly on their side. "I don't know if you knew this or not, but you were the love of his life, Elizabeth. You filled a part of him that was empty for a long time. And as much as I tried to fill it, and Luke, and Laura, he was still empty. Before you came into his life, he was happy, but he walked around like he was missing an important piece of himself. But after you and Lucky became friends, I saw a change in him that I couldn't believe. He radiated with life. He had all of this positive energy that he couldn't contain. I don't know if you saw it, Elizabeth, but I sure did. You did amazing things for Lucky."

Elizabeth smiled at Bobbie's statement. "He did amazing things for me. I don't know if Lucky told you, but he and I were finally starting to find our way back to each other."

Bobbie's face lit up with excitement at Elizabeth's words. "That's all I ever wanted for him. I wanted my nephew to be happy – to find somebody that he could love and start a family with. I know how much you meant to each other once upon a time, and I had so hoped that one day you'd find your way back to one another. I'm so happy for you Elizabeth. I don't think Lucky ever loved anybody the way that he loved you. He will wake up. I'm sure of it now. After all, look at all he has to live for." With her final words, Bobbie leaned over to give Elizabeth a reassuring hug. She knew that things would work out. The world was unfair, but it wasn't downright cruel. Surely Elizabeth couldn't lose Lucky for a second time…could she?

Hugging Bobbie tightly, Elizabeth let out a small gasp of surprise as she heard somebody clear their throat above them. Breaking out of the embrace, Elizabeth and Bobbie looked up to find Luke standing over them.

"I'm sorry to break this up, but I have something really important to tell you. Both of you."


	2. Chapter Two

Luke cleared his throat in an attempt to stall for time. He hoped that in that extra moment, he would find the words that he needed to tell these two women what could potentially be the most devastating pieces of information they had ever received.

"I'm really glad that I found you together. Will you two follow me please?"

Bobbie and Elizabeth exchanged worried glances while they rose to their feet. It wasn't like Luke to make statements such as this, and with a brief look, they exchanged the shared notion that whatever news he had, it was big.

Leading the women down the sterile hallway, Luke stopped in front of Lucky's hospital room. The door was closed, and they could see through the window that a nurse was scurrying around inside, making Lucky comfortable. Three pairs of eyes inadvertently darted towards the clear pane that reassured them the man inside was still alive and breathing, due to the various machines that were attached to him.

"Look at him." Luke spoke flatly, keeping his emotions in check. "You see how his chest rises and falls? It looks like he's breathing. If you can ignore the machinery sticking into him, it's easy to believe that he's a normal, healthy man. I could delude myself into thinking that he just got out of minor surgery and is sleeping until the anesthesia wears off. But I know better. And as nurses, so do the two of you."

Luke looked over to his companions. Elizabeth had flattened her palm against the glass, resting her head on her hand. Bobbie just stared at him, a void expression on her face.

"Lucky will probably never wake up. And even if he does, the chances of a full recovery are slim to none." Luke took one more deep breath before he gave them the startling blow. "I'm taking him off life support. It's time to let him go."

Bobbie snapped to attention at Luke's words. "Like hell you will."

* * *

Bobbie flared up in anger. "Amazing things happen every day. And you are going to stand here and deny Lucky the opportunity to see that? He has been in a coma for three weeks Luke. Do you know what three weeks is in the medical world? It's a blip on the radar. It's nothing. It takes a body more than two months to completely heal from a gunshot would like Lucky has suffered. How dare you stop fighting for him before his body has an adequate chance to heal? Is that all he means to you Luke? Three weeks and you're done with him? Three weeks and you write him off because you no longer want to take responsibility for him? Why don't you try sitting with him, telling him stories, reliving all of the good times? For God's sake Luke, give him a chance before you write him off completely. You will not kill my nephew. Laura would never have allowed it, and neither will I."

Luke turned to enter the door to the hospital room, and was surprised to see Elizabeth standing there to block his entrance. "I lost him once, Luke. I can't do it again. If you're going to kill him, you'll have to kill me first. Because there is no way I'm going to stand aside and let you rip him out of my life again."

Luke sighed and flashed a piece of paper that he had obtained that afternoon. "This is a court appointed piece of paper. I did things legally this time so that nothing would stop me from helping my son. This entitles me to pull the plug on Lucky whenever I see fit. I wish that the two of you would see that I'm not trying to murder Lucky. I just want him to be able to make his own decision. I want him to live, but not with machines sustaining him for the rest of his life. Look, I understand the two of your are grieving, and I respect that. But so am I. Lucky was my son. It's up to me to do right by him. Since his mother isn't here, I'm the one who has to make the decision. I think that this is what Laura would want. And more importantly, I think this is what Lucky would want. I'll leave you alone for a while to say good-bye. But I'll be back soon, and at that point I'm going to let Lucky make a decision for himself."

Luke turned and walked down the hallway. He hoped that by the time he returned Bobbie and Elizabeth would be able to accept his decision. They were going to have to live with it one way or the other. But the least that he could do was give them the opportunity to say their goodbyes in case things didn't work out the way that they all hoped.

Entering the stairwell, Luke started taking the stairs in an upward direction. He hoped that the cold air the roof could offer him would provide him with some clarity. He needed all the strength that he could muster for what he would have to do tonight.

* * *

Elizabeth turned the moment she saw Luke's back disappear, entering Lucky's room.

"I'll stay here for as long as it takes." Elizabeth looked to Bobbie. "I will not leave his side. I can't allow Luke to kill him."

Wheeling a stool next to his bed, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Taking Lucky's hand in hers, Elizabeth pressed his cool skin against her cheek.

"Lucky." She whispered his name, looking at the peaceful look on his face. "Remember all of those crazy adventures that we used to have with one another? We've gone through a lot together. Those were the best times of my entire life." Elizabeth smiled as the memories flooded her head.

"You were the best thing that ever happened to me. You know, before you came into my life, I wasn't really living. I was just existing, waiting for the next party or chance to spite my parents or my sister. But then Lucky, you came and changed everything. You made me realize that life was something to be treasured. Nobody else could have gotten to me the way that you did. You gave me hope for a future. You helped me deal with my past. And most of all, you loved me. Your love got me through more than I ever thought I could handle. You fought for me, for us, when I couldn't. Well Lucky, that's what I'm trying to do here. I'm fighting for you. I'm fighting to keep you alive."

Elizabeth paused as her eyes memorized his face. "You look so peaceful. You're not in pain. You're not being held against your will. You're just fighting. Fight harder, Lucky. I can't do this all alone. I'm doing everything I can to fight off your father and keep you here with me. But that's all I can do Lucky. The rest is up to you. You have to come back. Wherever you are, you have to find a way to come back. Come back to me Lucky. Please just come back. I can't lose you again." Overcome with emotion, Elizabeth laid her head down on his chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his chest beneath her.

"As long as you're still breathing, I'll be here fighting for you." Elizabeth whispered before she wrapped her arms around Lucky's abdomen.

Watching the emotional speech from the doorway, Bobbie turned and picked up the phone at the end of the hallway. She was going to fight for her nephew…even if it meant going against her brother. Feeling a twinge of guilt for what she was about to do, Bobbie quickly dialed the number. She was going to do whatever she had to in order to keep Lucky alive. Somehow, she would find a way.


	3. Chapter Three

"Thanks Janet. I owe you one." Bobbie carefully hung up the phone before looking to her watch. She had spent a good portion of the night on the phone, trying to find a way to protect Lucky from his father. Stifling a yawn, Bobbie evacuated her post that she had taken up hours before. Leaving the cramped office behind, Bobbie began to make her way back towards her nephew's room.

Leaning her tired body against the doorframe, Bobbie took in the sight in front of her. Elizabeth's body was draped loosely over Lucky's, frozen in the position that she had taken up the night before. As Bobbie observed the two sleeping, she felt a smile lift the corners of her mouth. They looked so young and peaceful. It was almost too easy to forget that only one of them would be roused from their sleep. Shaking the thought from her head, Bobbie closed the distance between herself and Elizabeth, gently shaking her from her sleep.

Elizabeth let out a small murmur. Her head was still foggy. The last thing she knew, she had been dancing with Lucky in the boxcar. Lifting her head, she saw Lucky lying there beside her, and she realized that she must have fallen asleep sometime during the night.

Turning around to face the intruder, Elizabeth's face dropped when she saw the serious look Bobbie wore on her face.

"Bobbie…Luke didn't come back last night, did he? Oh God, please tell me he didn't…" Elizabeth trailed off as her eyes scanned the rhythms that the machines detailed for her. Seeing that all of Lucky's signs were normal, she heaved a sigh of relief.

"No, I'm sorry to scare you like that. Lucky's fine. I don't know where Luke disappeared to last night, but from the looks of things he hasn't been back here. At least not yet."

Elizabeth gently held Lucky's hand as she listened to Bobbie's reassuring words. Still, the seriousness of the situation worried her. "Bobbie, what are we going to do?"

Bobbie pulled an extra chair up close to Elizabeth. "We have to stop Luke from shutting off the ventilator. I know that my brother means well, but the fact of the matter is that Lucky needs more time. We can't will him to wake up Elizabeth, but we can help grant him the time that his body needs to heal. We can give him a chance to fight to come back to us."

"What do you have planned?" Elizabeth asked with a half smile. If there was one thing that she could count on, it was the strategizing capabilities of the Spencer family. Sure, some of their plans could be half-baked, but they usually ended up working themselves out in the end. Hopefully this wouldn't be the exception.

Bobbie scooted her chair closer as she lowered her voice to a whisper. "I spoke with a friend of mine that I went to nursing school with. She's working over at Mercy, and with a little persuading I was able to convince her to assist us in moving Lucky over there."

"Lucky isn't really in a position to be moved right now…"

"Elizabeth, listen to me. We're running out of options. If we bring Lucky across town, we can admit him under a different name. Nobody will know that he's there, including Luke. I don't want to shut Luke out, but if we can keep him in the dark long enough for Lucky to begin the recovery process…look, this is the only option I see that could keep Lucky with us."

Elizabeth nodded her head. "You're right. Let's do it."

* * *

Luke inhaled a deep breath of the cold air surrounding him. He sat on the edge of the hospital roof, his legs dangling above the city of Port Charles. Looking to his watch, he let out a deep sigh. Somehow, hours had passed. And although his decision had been made, he still wasn't any closer to marching down those stairs and pulling the plug that could stop his son's life.

Questions rapidly shot around his head. What if it didn't work? What if this ended up killing him? Rising to his feet, Luke began to pace around the helicopter pad.

Bobbie and Elizabeth just didn't understand. He didn't know how to explain to them that he wasn't trying to kill Lucky. They had thrown accusations at him for being a killer, but that wasn't what he was trying to do. He just wanted Lucky to make his own decision…one way or the other. He couldn't just let Lucky cling on to existence for months. That wasn't living. He would be a vegetable – cold, pale, unmoving. Just like his mother.

Luke's thoughts darted back to Laura. The last time he had been allowed to see her, she hadn't moved. She sat in her wheelchair, staring at something behind him that Luke couldn't see. Even when he placed himself in her direct line of vision, she continued to look through him, unseeing. He couldn't let his son go through the same turmoil. He wouldn't condemn Lucky to the same fate as his mother.

Luke felt tears well up in his eyes as he thought to the state of his son. He was so young. He hadn't even begun to live. He had always wanted to get married, start a family. Lucky was looking forward to the future that he was going to have. Now, it was starting to look like the only future for him would be contained to a hospital bed.

Luke looked to his watch once more to note the time. When he had left his companions earlier, he wanted to give them time to cool off and rethink their anger. He wished that they could just see where he was coming from. They were living in a fantasy world, thinking that words would change his condition and Lucky would wake up when he was ready to once again face the world. But Lucky couldn't wait forever. Hours had passed, and Luke headed back towards the door that would bring him back into the hospital. If Bobbie and Elizabeth hadn't come to terms with Lucky's conditions and said potential good-byes to him by now, they never would. Either way, it was time for Lucky to make a decision.

* * *

"He's ready." Elizabeth announced as she finished gluing the fake mustache on Lucky's upper lip. "But Bobbie, don't you think this is a little much?"

Bobbie took a quick glance at her nephew while she carefully fingered the machines around him. "Actually, I don't even recognize him. It's perfect."

"I just wish things could be different. I hate having to do this to him." Elizabeth gently brushed the hair away from Lucky's face before looking to Bobbie.

"Well, hopefully it will just be a temporary situation. I've got everything all set. The ambulance should be waiting for us down in the ER. Time to put this plan into action."

Wheeling Lucky's hospital bed towards the door, Bobbie froze as she saw a familiar figure fill up the door frame in front of her.

"Nice costume job Barbara Jean. But tell me, what scheme is Lucky involved in that he has to wear a disguise?"

Bobbie lowered her head at her brother's words. Feeling defeat weigh upon her shoulders, she tried to reason with him. "Please Luke, just let me take him. You don't want to do this."

Luke took a step into the room, closing the door behind him so he could lean his back against it. Brandishing the paper once more, he tried to keep an even voice while he spoke. "I have every right to do what I think is best for Lucky. I've already made a decision, and this is what I feel is the right thing to do. Now, I'm going to the end of the hall to make a few phone calls. There are a few other people that need to be here when this takes place. If you haven't already, I suggest you say your goodbyes now." Luke paused. "We don't know what the outcome of this is going to be."

Bobbie frowned as she began to fiddle with Lucky's machines once more.

"That's it?" Elizabeth crossed her arms. "No backup plan? We just let Luke go through with this?"

Bobbie turned to face Elizabeth, tears filling her eyes. "If there was anything else I thought that I could do for Lucky, I would. But sometimes, you've got to admit defeat. Elizabeth, Luke is just outside the door. There's no way that we could transport him now, and legally, there's nothing we can do to stop Luke. I think the only thing that we can do now is to just say good-bye."

Elizabeth's shock was evident on her features. Shaking her head, she stumbled over her words. "Well, I guess I'll give you a few minutes with Lucky. I'll be out in the hallway." Squeezing Lucky's hand, she removed herself from the room and closed the door behind her. Leaning her back on it for support, she slowly sunk to a sitting position as her tears began to fall freely.


	4. Chapter Four

Luke hung up the phone as he turned back towards Lucky's room. Everybody that could physically be here was on their way. Now all that was left to do was wait, and hope that things would end on a positive note.

Making his way down the hallway, Luke paused as he saw Elizabeth curled up in front of Lucky's door. Gently bending down in front of her, he tentatively ran his fingers through her hair in what he hoped was a comforting motion.

Elizabeth's head snapped up as she felt the contact. Tracks where her tears had fallen stained her face, and her eyes continued to brim with tears. Speaking in a voice barely above a whisper, she tried to reach out to Luke.

"Please don't do this."

"Elizabeth, I'm sorry. I know how hard this is for you, I do. But that man lying in that bed, that's not Lucky. He won't ever have a chance if we leave him like this. We have to take a chance in pulling the plug, and hope that it will bring him back to us."

"He's not Laura. Lucky still has a chance. I mean, he came back to us once before when there wasn't any hope, remember? And he can do it again. All he needs is a chance Luke. We have to give him a chance to fight for himself and find his way back."

"I just want to do what's best for him. Elizabeth, you knew Lucky as well as anybody. Do you think this is what he would have wanted for himself? Or for you?"

Elizabeth's eyes opened wide at his words. "What do I have to do with any of this?"

"Lucky loved you. Do you really think that he would have wanted you to spend the rest of your life at his bedside? I know you Elizabeth, and I could easily see you spending years here, having your hours stolen away from you while you sit here hoping for a miracle."

"But miracles do happen Luke. When Lucky died in that fire, I thought my life was over. I didn't think I could ever get through the pain. But then, we all got a miracle, and he came back to us. It took a year, but he did come back. Why can't we grant him that same opportunity now? What's stopping him from returning to us once more?"

Luke eyed her intently before speaking. "Elizabeth, you're a nurse. You know as well as I do that Lucky's condition is not promising. Now, I could wait a week, or months, or even years to follow through with this, but what would it accomplish? The only way I see him coming back to us is to shock him into realizing that he's in danger. In that moment, he'll be forced to make a decision. He'll either come back to us…or he'll let go."

"And that's a chance that you're willing to take?"

"I raised my son to fight. So I think that if there's even a slight possibility of his returning to us, he will. But if things don't work out the way we all hope…if Lucky dies, then we'll know that he made his decision. We can mourn him and move on with our lives, instead of continuously clinging to a false hope. There will be no more uncertainty, no more guessing. We'll know, Elizabeth. And that will be one last gift that Lucky will be able to leave with us."

Elizabeth answered with her voice barely above a whisper, "I care about him, Luke."

"I know you do." Luke replied gently, reaching out to her once more. "But maybe his last gift of love to you is being able to give you some kind of definitive answer, and hope for your future."

"I don't agree with you Luke. I don't understand why you're doing this, and I don't think I ever will. I won't fight with you, or scream at you. It won't accomplish anything. It won't bring Lucky back to me, or make you change your mind."

"No, it won't. But I would really like you to be there when we stop the machines."

"I'll be there. I'll do it for Lucky. But under no circumstances do I agree or approve of what you're doing, and if there is anything I can do to make you reconsider…"

"I'm sorry Elizabeth. This has to be done. It's the only way."

* * *

Bobbie settled herself in the small stool that sat close to Lucky's bed. Cupping her face in her hands, she rested her elbows on the side of the bed, staring at her nephew. Lucky had grown up at some point when Bobbie wasn't looking. As much as Lucky probably would have liked to have different parents at one point, there was no denying where he came from. Seeing the peaceful look that rested on his features, her mind was drawn to Laura. He was so much like his mother. He was gentle and kind, smart and stubborn. If she could have been here to see him, Bobbie knew she would have been so proud at how her son had turned out.

But he was also more like Luke than he ever wanted to admit. He was loyal and brave. He was devoted to the ones he loved, and he would do anything to help them out. But most importantly, he was a fighter.

Bobbie moved her chair in closer to her nephew. Smiling down at him, she gently peeled off the fake mustache she had convinced Elizabeth to apply earlier. She reached down and held his hand in hers, hoping that he would be able to feel the connection she had made between them.

"You know, I was so excited when I heard that you had come to town. Ruby called to tell me, and I couldn't wait to meet you. I thought that you could be somebody for me to play with. I knew that Lucas would love you and look up to you. But then I met you and you surpassed my wildest expectations. You weren't a child. You proved that the minute you got into town. You got here all on your own, with no help from anybody. Even as a kid you proved how strong you were, how you could get anything done if you set your mind to it. As I've watched you grow into a man, I have also seen you grow in strength and in love. I admired you as a child. Isn't that silly? But you had an old soul. You weren't like other kids your age. You had seen the world, you had experienced things that they could only dream about. But in the end, all you wanted was to settle down somewhere, find a place that you could finally call home. I'm so glad that this place was here. Selfishly, I'm thankful that it was close to me, that I got to be a part of your life. You continue to surprise and inspire me, Lucky. When I thought that you didn't have any strength left in you, you would still continue to fight. That's what you need to do now Lucky. Draw from that place, and muster up all of the strength you have left. This is the most important fight that you'll ever have, and you need to come out on top for this one. After all, you can't break your track record. There are so many people here who need you. But don't do it for us. Think of all that you have to live for. You have a long and bright future Lucky. Don't give up on that."

Bobbie pulled his hand up towards her, leaving a gentle kiss on the knuckles. "In case I don't get a chance to tell you this later, I need you to know how important you are to me. It always meant so much that you would come to me when you were in trouble. I just wish that this time, when it really matters, I could do something to help you. I love you, Lucky. I couldn't have asked for a better nephew."

Bobbie paused to wipe at the tears that were streaming down her face. Releasing his hand, she wrapped her arms around herself. Leaning in towards her nephew, she whispered her last words of inspiration, hoping that somewhere within him, he could hear her.

"We love you Lucky. Keep fighting. Fight with everything that you have left to overcome this and return to us."

* * *

Luke stood up quickly as he saw the parade of people coming down the hallway towards his son's room. Helping Elizabeth to her feet, he handed her a box of tissues that sat nearby. Drying her eyes quickly, Elizabeth couldn't help but be touched at the amount of people who had shown up in support of Lucky.

Lesley and LuLu led the procession, hand in hand. As they got closer to their destination, LuLu broke away from her grandmother's grasp and ran forward to meet her father.

Leaning down to hug her, Luke held on tightly to his little girl. He vowed that he would protect her with everything that he had. She wouldn't go through the pain that her mother and brother had experienced. No matter what it took, he would keep her safe.

"Is Lucky awake yet?" she asked innocently, her dark brown eyes looking deep into Luke's.

"Not yet, pumpkin. Elizabeth, your grandma and I are all going to go in there in a little while and try to wake him up though, okay?"

LuLu nodded her head eagerly. "That sounds good. I miss him."

Elizabeth leaned down to the small girl's level, "We all miss him sweetie. Do you want to go in his room with your Aunt Bobbie? She looks pretty sad right now, and I'm sure that she could use a big hug from you to cheer her up."

LuLu nodded as she looked through the window to where her aunt sat. "You're right. I'm going to try to cheer her up."

Beginning to walk away, LuLu seemed to change her mind as she flew back to where she had been standing, wrapping her arms around Elizabeth's neck.

"I've missed you too you know. I'm glad you're here."

Taken back with surprise, Elizabeth squeezed the little girl in her arms. "I've missed you too." She whispered into her ear. "But I promise, we'll start seeing a lot more of each other real soon, okay?"

LuLu nodded as she headed in towards Lucky's room. Turning the doorknob, she gave her family one last look before disappearing inside.

Elizabeth rose to her feet, looking at the throng of people that had gathered in the hallway. It seemed that all of Port Charles had shown up. Scanning the crowd, Elizabeth saw many familiar faces among them. Seeing one especially friendly face smiling back at her, Elizabeth made her way towards the back of the crowd to where her grandmother stood holding Cameron in her arms.

"Gram, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked as she took her son into her arms, kissing him lightly on the forehead.

"I heard the news about Lucky from one of the other nurses. I knew you'd want to be here when it happens, so I picked Cameron up from daycare. I just wanted to let you know this sweet little boy will be coming home with me this evening so that you didn't begin to worry."

"Thanks Gram. I was just about to make some phone calls to have somebody take care of him for me tonight."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous Elizabeth. You don't need to hire a babysitter when there's one right in your home. Besides, I don't see nearly enough of this one right here." Audrey smiled as she watched her great grandson wriggle restlessly in her mother's arms.

"I really appreciate this Gram. And thanks for bringing him by. I'll give you a call to check in with you later." Handing the baby back to Audrey, Elizabeth kissed the baby once more before heading back down the hallway towards Lucky's room.

It was funny. When she was younger, she hadn't imagined having children with anybody besides Lucky. But they had gotten older, their lives in leading in different directions. Still, for the past few weeks Elizabeth had been harboring a secret hope that things would work for them this time around. She had watched Lucky with Cameron, and he had been so good with him. Lucky was the kind of father that Elizabeth wanted for her son.

Shaking the thoughts from her head, Elizabeth paused to look in the window to Lucky's room. She had been handling being a single mother just fine. But sometimes, as she waited for sleep to come at night, she felt lonely. She hadn't stopped to consider it until Lucky had pointed it out to her, but now it plagued her. It felt like there was something missing in her life. She had tried various things to try to fill this void, but nothing had worked.

"Funny." She whispered to herself. "It went away when Lucky was around."

* * *

Bobbie turned as she heard the door slowly creak open behind her. Seeing her small niece standing behind her, she forced a smile to drift across her features. She walked over to the small child who stood hesitantly at the door.

"Daddy and Elizabeth said you were sad." She stated matter-of-factly. "You always said that I gave the best hugs, so I'm here to share one with you."

Bobbie felt a genuine smile spread across her lips as she thought about the innocence of this child that stood before her. Bending down, Bobbie spread her arms and welcomed the child's embrace.

"You sure do, LuLu. I'm really glad you're here. I think I'm starting to feel better already."

Breaking away from the embrace, LuLu looked up to her aunt. "Did Lucky wake up?"

"Not yet sweetie." Bobbie answered her, watching her face fall. "But maybe you could try talking to him, and see if that will wake him up."

"I could try that." She answered pensively. "What should I say to him?"

"Well, I think the best thing to do would be to just tell Lucky what's in your heart."

LuLu took a seat on the stool that stood near her brother. Taking a deep breath, she began to speak to him. "Hi Lucky." She looked to her aunt for encouragement before continuing to speak to him.

"Well, I really miss you a lot. Grandma tries really hard, but she can't make the swings go as high as you used to be able to." She inserted her hand in his, watching as her tiny fingers were enveloped by the large hands of her brother. Still, as Bobbie watched from across the room, she could see that these ten year old hands looked stronger than those that surrounded them.

"Do you remember when you took me sledding last winter? I went over that huge jump and fell off my sled. It hurt a lot, but you were there and then all of the pain just went away. Everything was all right again. I want to do that for you. I don't like seeing you attached to all of these machines. They're scary. So I'm going to help you the only way I know how." LuLu reached deep into the pockets of her coat as she pulled out the item she had carried with her for as long as she could remember.

"Here's Tony." She gently placed the small, bendable teddy bear into the palm of his hand. "I don't remember where I got him, but whenever something goes wrong, he always seems to be able to make it better for me. I hope that he works for you too."

She leaned down to leave her brother a kiss on the cheek. "I hope you wake up, Lucky. I love you."

Climbing down from her heightened position, LuLu looked up at her Aunt Bobbie.

"Well, how did I do?"

Bobbie smiled as she wiped at the tears that had formed in her eyes. "LuLu, I think that was perfect."


	5. Chapter Five

Okay, so I got a little carried away with the monologues. Just one more chapter of them after this, and then I promise we're moving on to bigger and better things. Enjoy!

* * *

Lesley Webber fingered the fringe on her brightly colored scarf as she stood outside of her grandson's room. Since she had lost her daughter to a mental breakdown, she had often wished that she were back in Port Charles, safe in body and sound in mind. But never had that need been as strong as it was today.

Turning to Luke, Lesley watched him as he stood uncomfortably in front of his son's room. He had never been very good in crisis situations. That was where Laura came in.

In many ways, Laura had held the family together. Lesley had never figured out just how she did it, but she was always able to get through to Luke when nobody else could. When he was in a place filled with darkness, Laura would be a glimmering light that would cut through. She had this amazing ability to snap him out of the foul mood or dark place he had inhabited and force him to deal with the present situation in the best way he knew how. Now that she was gone, Lesley wondered how he would cope with his grief if Lucky didn't pull through this.

Her train of thought was interrupted when Bobbie opened the door to Lucky's room, leading LuLu outside. Looking at Luke, she was surprised to find him looking back at her. Nodding towards the door, he informed her of his intent. Lesley nodded back at him before entering her grandson's room.

For LuLu's sake, she had tried to stay away. She had been so busy trying to answer the questions that she had and ease her continuous fear that she hadn't been able to come to the hospital and see Lucky for herself. Now, as she looked around at all of the machines that sustained her grandson, she realized how dire the situation really was.

Arranging herself on the stool, Lesley carefully examined the face of the man lying before her. Somewhere along the line, her grandson had grown up. And the face that she was looking into was that of a relative stranger.

Lesley regretted some decisions that she had made. She was so lucky. Her grandchildren were so close to her, residing in the same town. But as much as she loved them, she hadn't been nearly as involved in their lives as she could have been. At some point she had become one of those grandmothers who saw her grandchildren on holidays and birthdays – one of those grandparents she had never wanted to be.

Now, as she looked into the face of her unconscious grandson, she felt tears start to slide down her cheeks. If only she could turn back time, do things over again. She would have done so many things differently.

"Oh Lucky." Lesley whispered, beginning to voice her feelings aloud. "I wish that I had been there for you the way you needed me to be. You know, as much as I love you, I don't even know you. I know the child that you once were, but what kind of man have you become? When your father asked me to take care of LuLu, I was surprised, to say the least. And I love that little girl so much, Lucky. I just wish that I had taken that opportunity to give you a more permanent place in my life. But I can't look back with regrets. The only hope that I have left is in the future. And what I see in my future is you. I want to be part of your life, Lucky. I want to know what you love and what you hate, what you want for your life and what you hope to never become. You have so much to look forward to, and I just want to be a part of it."

Lesley sighed as she rose up from her chair. There were some people who always knew the perfect things to say in a crisis situation, but she wasn't one of those people. She had always shown a strong front on the outside while she was crumbling inside. She didn't have the perfect words to say to Lucky, or the actions that Luke needed to be comforted. Speaking to Lucky, her words had come out in a jumbled mess that sounded incredibly self-centered. She just hoped that through it all, Lucky could hear her, and understand what she really meant, what lay deep in her heart. When he was younger he was always able to do that, able to sense what she was feeling without having to explicitly voice it. As little as she knew about her grandchild now, she hoped that was one thing that hadn't changed.

Looking back to the pale form that lay motionless on the bed, Lesley opened her mouth, hoping the right words would start to flow. "I love you Lucky." She mouthed over in his direction before silently exiting the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

Elizabeth paced nervously down the hospital corridor, throwing nervous glances in the direction of Lucky's room every few minutes. Changing direction to cover her path once more, Elizabeth was surprised to see Luke standing in front of her.

"Elizabeth, you need a break. Go have a seat in the waiting room."

Elizabeth shook her head vigorously. "I can't leave him Luke. I won't."

"You've been here all night. I promise you that we'll come to get you when we're ready. Just sit down, try to relax for a few minutes."

Elizabeth hesitated. Maybe Luke was right. While his family was saying good-bye to him, there was nothing that she could do. Besides, her pacing was probably making everybody around her even more nervous. "Well…you'll come get me if there are any changes?"

"Elizabeth, I guarantee that you will be the first to know."

She nodded her head in agreement. "Thanks for everything Luke. You know, for letting me be here with him." Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him, surprising them both. "I think he's going to pull through. He's strong, and if anybody can remind him of that, it's you."

Elizabeth pulled away abruptly, turning to make her way down the hallway. Luke stared after her in surprise. Elizabeth Webber was just full of surprises.

* * *

"Luke! Luke!" Luke spun around after hearing his name being called out from behind him.

"Amy. What…what are you doing here?" he asked confusedly as he took in her frazzled appearance.

"Well, I was off duty just catching up on some gossip, and I heard the news about Lucky. Is it true? Are you really discontinuing his life support?"

Luke looked at her incredulously. One thing Amy could be counted on was to hear the latest news, even before anyone could finish dispensing it.

"It's true. We tried to get in touch with you earlier, but your phone was busy for hours.."

"Yeah, I was catching up on some news. But Luke, do you really think this is the best idea?"

Luke led her away from the handful of people that still circulated outside of Lucky's room. "It looks like your sources are correct on this one, Amy. I've decided to take Lucky off of the machines."

Amy's face distorted into a distressed look. "Oh Luke, I thought it wasn't true! Why are you doing this?"

Luke rubbed his face in his hands, not looking forward to defending his actions to somebody else. "Amy, I think this may be the only way of getting Lucky to wake up. Please just don't fight me on this. I'm hoping that this will save my son's life." With those few words spoken, Luke turned and made his way into his son's room, leaving a shocked Amy in his wake.

* * *

Crashing into the sofa, Elizabeth took a few deep breaths, ready to embrace the silence that the waiting room would provide her with. Sinking in deeper to the couch, she closed her eyes, hoping that would calm her nerves.

Springing back to her feet, Elizabeth resumed her former nervous habit in this new environment. Hearing somebody enter the room behind her, she turned to see Emily standing in the doorway.

"Em!" she ran over to her friend, giving her a quick hug. "I'm really glad you're here."

"Yeah, I just got the message that Luke left for me. I can't believe this is happening Elizabeth. I mean, that should be me lying in there."

"You can't blame yourself. Nobody makes Lucky do anything, and he would do anything for you. You know that. There was nothing anybody could have done to change his mind."

"Still, I wish things could have gone differently." Emily pondered with a wistful expression on her face. Looking back into her friend's face with concern, she phrased a new question. "How are you doing?"

Elizabeth smiled lightly at her friend's concern, hoping to hide her own fears and doubts. "I'm holding up okay."

Emily eyed her suspiciously. "You're lying."

"Well, yeah. But I thought you had enough to deal with."

"Elizabeth, talk to me. You've done so much for me, and the least I can do is be here to listen."

Elizabeth smiled as she took a seat on one of the chairs situated in the far corner of the room. "I don't know Em. Luke is convinced that this is the right thing, but I'm not so sure. What if this ends up killing him? What if we lose him all over again because of a stupid decision that could have been avoided?"

"I'm worried about him too. But Elizabeth, we have to trust Luke. We really have no choice. He's Lucky's father, and I think that he's trying to do what's best for him. We just have to keep hoping and praying that this will work out for the best." Eyeing her friend, Emily realized that there was something deeper going on than Elizabeth was willing to admit. "You're still in love with him, aren't you?"

Elizabeth was taken back by the question. "I…well I…I care about him, Emily."

Emily watched the emotions play across her friend's face and realized that now wasn't the time to get into something like this. There was a time to push, but given the circumstances, this definitely wasn't it.

Leaning in to comfort her friend, Emily pulled Elizabeth into a soothing embrace. "He'll get through this Liz. He has to." Tears streamed down both of their faces, mingling with each other. In the quiet of the waiting room, two hearts broke as they waited for a resolution.


	6. Chapter Six

Luke softly made his way across the room towards his son's bedside. He had always hated hospitals. He found the machinery to be intimidating, the smells nauseating. Still, there was always something that pulled him back to this place. There was always some tragedy taking place, somebody in this place close to him. But this time, it was the hardest of all. This time, it was Lucky.

His little boy. Luke thought back to the time that he and Laura had spent in Texas. Lucky had become attached to this one beat up pair of cowboy boots that Laura had picked up somewhere. At one point, he had a hat and a lasso too. Those had been left behind sometime during their travels, but the cowboy boots had always made the trip. Knowing Laura, they were still up in their attic somewhere, collecting dust.

Luke fondly recalled how Lucky had received his nickname. It had been years since he'd laid eyes on those boots, but in this moment in time he'd give anything to see them again, to see Lucky wearing them, even though they pinched his toes, dancing around the living room singing along to the country western radio stations that the fuzzy radio picked up.

Feeling a weak smile creep across his features, Luke took a seat in the wobbly stool that was becoming a little too familiar to him. Leaning in towards his son, he grabbed his fragile hands in his own. "Oh cowboy." He sighed, letting the memories of the past flood over him.

"We had so many good times, you, your mother, and I. We were always on the run, moving from one place to another. But we tried to make it as normal and happy for you as we possibly could. It used to tear your mother apart, constantly being on the road, running further and further away from all of our friends and family. I don't think I had ever seen her as excited as she was when she found out that she was pregnant with you. You breathed a new life in her before you were even fully formed. She had something to live for, something to focus all of her energy on instead of being consumed by the worry that each day, they might catch up. I know it wasn't the best childhood for you, but we gave you all that we had, and I'd like to think that you don't regret the way you were raised."

Luke paused, rubbing his palms rapidly over Lucky's cold hands in an attempt to warm them up. "Do you remember the year that we were in Italy? I know we didn't stay there long, but that was one of your mother's favorite places. She took you to all of the tourist traps, and I remember you even came home with some of those tacky souvenirs. But one of Frank's guys had spotted us, and we had to move again. I don't even know if you remember this, you were so young at the time. But when we had to leave behind all of your memories, you didn't even cry or look back. You just moved right along with us, just as tough and just as strong. I knew then that you would be able to get through anything that life would throw at you. The lifestyle that I led, it gave you so many disappointments. But I also saw how it helped you to grow, how it made you strong. And I know that strength is what's going to save you tonight, Lucky. I know that everyone else may doubt you, but I've never underestimated you. Even when we weren't on speaking terms, I knew exactly what you were capable of. And I'm scared. I'm scared that this might be one fight that you'll lose, and you won't be able to come back to us this time. But I also know that this is a risk that I have to take, that I have to let you take."

Luke hovered over his son, kissing him softly on the forehead. "Run, Lucky. This is just another adventure, another move. And I need you to run as hard and as fast as you can to keep yourself safe. Run back to us, cowboy."

* * *

Amy Vining stood in the hospital hallway, nervously twirling her hair. Luke hadn't given her much information about her nephew's condition, but he didn't have to. Even if she hadn't heard the news from the nurses on shift, his face gave everything away. He was scared. He was afraid that he might lose his son, and he was behaving in the only way he knew how.

Thinking back to Luke's past, it made sense. He had always been a man of action. He wasn't about to sit back and let something happen when he could be helping it along.

Looking back to Lucky's room, she saw the man that invaded her thoughts emerge, and she quickly made her way over to him.

"Luke, do you have a minute?"

"Amy, yeah…sure. What's on your mind?"

"Well, I know what you intend to do for Lucky, disconnecting him and all. But I was just wondering…what are you waiting for?"

Luke was taken back with surprise. Amy had been the first person who hadn't tried to fight him down from his position. "Tony. He has an emergency with another patient, so I'm just waiting for him to finish up and arrive so that we can do what needs to be done."

Looking to the small gathering of people standing vigil outside of Lucky's room, Luke turned back to Amy, as if suddenly remembering her connection to his son.

"I think that it's a good thing he's running late though. It gives everybody a chance to prepare themselves, to say what they need to say to Lucky. I know this has all come on really fast for you Amy, but would you like to talk to him?"

"Oh Luke, I don't know if that's such a good idea.."

"It would really mean a lot to me, and to Lucky. Barbara believes that he can hear everything that is said to him. So…maybe you'll be able to get through to him. He could use as many people around him as possible."

Amy let out a soft sigh. "I'll…I'll think about it Luke." She answered him, her voice much softer than usual. Watching him walk away, she rethought her sentiments. "I'll try."

* * *

Elizabeth and Emily talked in low tones to themselves as they headed towards the hospital corridor which led to Lucky's room. Seeing Luke standing off by himself, Elizabeth approached him quickly.

"Hey Luke. I don't suppose you've changed your mind yet?"

"Elizabeth, I thought you were going to rest."

"I tried, but I have a million different things going through my mind. I was hoping that I could sit with Lucky before Tony shows up."

Luke pointed through the window with his thumb. "Well, Amy's in there with him now, but I'm sure that would be fine. I'd actually really like for both you and Emily to try talking to him before Tony comes."

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise as Luke just shrugged his shoulders. "Well, if you and Barbara believe in miracles so deeply, this is your chance to test that theory."

Elizabeth smiled gently after Luke walked away. There was such a thing as miracles, she knew that much. Lucky had been hers. Maybe today, she could finally return the favor.

* * *

Amy sat in the hospital room, tears streaming down her face. She was usually able to act tough and happy. But the sight of her nephew looking so weak and helpless while attached to all of these machines had just been too much for her. Now, as she stared down into his pale face, all she could think about were memories of days gone by, when Lucky had been healthy and vibrant.

Amy remembered all of the times that she had been able to share with Lucky over the years. All of the birthday parties, family Christmases, and other small gatherings meshed together in her mind while she watched him.

Picking up his limp hand to hold in her own, she tried to collect her thoughts. She had worked in the hospital for years, and during that time she had seen amazing things happen with comatose patients. They would be so deep within themselves, yet hearing the simple voice of a parent, a friend, or a sibling would bring them back to the waking world. Amy smiled. Maybe in this case, it was an aunt.

"Lucky. You can't die on us now. I have so much to catch you up on. You wouldn't believe some of the stories that have been floating around these halls in the last couple of weeks."

Amy sighed. She was a nurse, and she was comfortable in the hospital setting. But she'd never had to speak to patients that couldn't respond, and she was at a loss. When she needed the words that normally spilled from her lips so easily, they failed her.

"Look, Lucky. When your mother and I were children, we made a promise to each other. We said that we'd always look out for each other. If the other was in trouble, than we would be there, no questions asked. And when you came along, that sentiment passed down to you. I promised myself that with Laura gone, I would do my best to watch out for you and make sure that no harm fell on you. It looks like I failed. But you're not your mother, Lucky. You have a chance here. All you have to do is grab it. Reach for what's right in front of you. Your whole life is right in front of you, just waiting for you to reach out and take it."

Amy squeezed his hand before she left his side. Pausing by the door, she looked at the crowd of people still milling outside in the hallway, then back at her nephew. "There are so many people that love you. I would say that's something worth fighting for." With her final words spoken, Amy dried the tears from her eyes and softly exited Lucky's hospital room.

* * *

Emily approached Elizabeth after Luke's hasty departure. "What was that about?"

"It was a miracle Em. Hopefully not the last that we're going to get tonight." Letting her thoughts drift back to Lucky, Elizabeth turned her back to stare in the hospital window, as if to reassure herself that Lucky was still there.

Emily watched as Amy vacated the room. "Do you want to go first?"

Elizabeth smiled as she noted her friend's concern. "No, you go. I just want to calm myself down a little before I go sit with him. Stress and worry is the last thing that he needs to sense from me when I'm with him."

Emily pulled her friend into a quick hug. "I know this isn't much help, but try not to worry. We've both known Lucky for a long time. If there's any way he can find his way back from this, he will."

"Thanks Em." Elizabeth whispered before she watched Emily enter Lucky's room.

Looking wistfully into the sterile room in front of her, she wrapped her arms around her waist. Maybe Emily was right. Whatever was going to happen, Elizabeth had no control over it. She needed to stop worrying and focus on all of the potentially positive outcomes that this night could hold. Elizabeth leaned her forehead on the glass pane. It was so much easier said than done.

* * *

Emily pulled the stool under her as she took a careful look at the face of her best friend. This was the face that comforted her, that joked with her, that gave her hope when she thought that it had been sucked from the world. This face was so familiar to her, yet it looked different somehow.

"Hey there." Emily cleared the lump that had formed in her throat as she began talking with her friend, hoping that wherever he was, he could hear her words. "Do you remember when you ran away with me to find my aunt? I was so scared about everything in my life Lucky. I was afraid of my future, I was running from my past, and I had nowhere left to go. And then I looked beside me, and you were there. You never left. You were always there to hold my hand and tell me that everything would work out okay." Picking up his limp hand, Emily continued speaking to him. "I wish I could make that promise to you, Lucky. But this isn't something as simple as leaving Port Charles to head across the country. I can't just hold your hand and make everything better. But I can promise you this much – if you do me one last favor – if you'll just pull out of this coma, then I will do everything in my power to be there for you. I'll be the friend that you deserve. Anything. Just come back."

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable in her own skin, Emily realized what she had to do. Placing a kiss on Lucky's hand, she rose to her feet and left the room, heading for the nearest Nurses station – and telephone.

Elizabeth tried to steady what was left of her nerves as she watched Emily retreat down the hall. "Okay. I can do this." Pasting a smile on her face for Lucky, she closed the door to his room behind her, leaning her back against it for support.

Luke felt a sad smile pass over his features as he saw Elizabeth enter Lucky's room. Looking around to the small crowd, he did a quick head count. The family had all had a few minutes alone with Lucky. He heaved a sigh of relief. Having so many people speak to him, he had to have found some reason for waking up. If their words didn't have an affect on him, than nothing would. Luke's thoughts were interrupted as the sound of a throat being cleared erupted from behind him.

"Sorry for taking so long, Luke. I had an emergency with another patient. So…are you ready to do this?"

Luke looked sadly at Tony. "Not just yet. Elizabeth's in there with him now, and I just wanted to give her a few minutes before we did this. God, Tony, I feel horrible for doing this to her. I saw her when we all thought Lucky died the first time. She looked as though her heart had been pulled out, and I didn't think she'd ever recover from that. How can I do this to her again? How can I do this to the family?"

Tony placed a reassuring hand on Luke's shoulder. "I know it's hard Luke. But it's for the best. In the long run, this is what has to be done."

* * *

Elizabeth sighed as she brushed the loose hair away from her face. As strong as she was trying to be, she felt the tears beginning to form in her eyes. It was so hard for her to see Lucky like this. He was so pale, so lifeless, so weak.

Weak. Lucky had always been the strong one for everyone he surrounded. He had always been able to read people, know exactly what it was they needed, and then provide that for them. Elizabeth smiled as she remembered the scene that he had set up in the church on the anniversary of her rape. He had always been able to take something horrible and turn it around into something worth celebrating.

Elizabeth walked over to the far side of his bed and took a seat next to him. Brushing his hair back from his face lightly, she felt herself warmed by all of the memories that she and Lucky shared with one another.

"Oh Lucky. I would give anything to take this back. I wish I could have stopped you from doing this, from following Helena to that crypt. I would have done anything to keep you safe and away from all of this." Elizabeth paused as she gestured to the hospital room around her, even though she knew Lucky couldn't see her. "But I know that it wouldn't have done any good. You would do anything for Emily, and I know that. That's one of the things that made me fall in love with you when we first met. You were so devoted to the people that you loved. And it didn't take long until I was one of them. It took a while for me to gain your friendship, your love, but once I did, I knew that I would have it forever."

Elizabeth smiled as she thought back to the last few months. She had begun to share so much time with Lucky. Selfish as it was, that wasn't nearly enough. There was so much more that had to be said and done.

"We're finally starting to get back on track. It's taken us so long to get to this point. You can't give up, not now." Elizabeth placed a kiss upon his forehead, hoping to reach Lucky in whatever dark place he had wandered into and remind him of what was important. "I fought for you Lucky. When Helena had brainwashed you, I was there, fighting with everything that is inside of me to make sure that you were okay. Now it's your turn, Lucky. You have to fight for us. Please Lucky…come back to me."

Elizabeth sat on the edge of his bed for a few more moments, running her fingers through his long dark hair as she looked into this face. If it was the last time that she was going to see him alive, she wanted to memorize every detail, have it embedded into her brain so vividly that it would never fade.

Hearing the low moan of the door opening behind her, Elizabeth turned her head to look at the intruder. She let out a sad smile as she saw Luke looking at her.

"It's time, isn't it?"

Luke nodded, slowly and sadly. "It's time."


	7. Chapter Seven and an update

Just a little note from me:

Hey guys -

I just wanted to thank everybody for their lovely feedback. It's really helpful and means so much to me. In regards to this story, there is significantly more to it, but I did decide to abandon it this past November. Since I feel like people fell out of character and all that, I've decided not to post it here, because it's not really work that I can be truly proud of.

Saying that, I have started another Lucky and Elizabeth fic which is coming along nicely. I'll begin posting that when I'm sure it will be completed (I hate leaving people hanging), so stay tuned!

Thanks for reading!

Angie

Elizabeth squeezed Lucky's hand tighter in hers as she watched Lucky's family enter the room behind Luke. While Tony monitored his vitals, Bobbie, Luke, Amy, and Lesley all crowded around Lucky's bed, looking at him hopefully. Elizabeth fought the urge to jump up and start pacing around the room. She had never felt so scared in her entire life.

Finishing up with the various machines, Tony turned to address the small gathering of people in the room. This was always hard for him. Having lost a child himself, he never knew quite what to say to somebody who might lose theirs. Clearing his throat uncomfortably, he received an encouraging nod from Bobbie before he began to speak.

"Just to forewarn you, there is a very small chance that Lucky may wake up. But the more time that passes, the less the chance that he will ever regain consciousness. So when everybody's ready, I'm going to remove the ventilator from Lucky's throat, and then we're going to shut off the remainder of the machines that are sustaining him." Tony took in a deep breath as he looked to the tear stained cheeks and worried expressions of those around him. He watched as Luke shifted uncomfortably and tried to offer him a small smile. "Whenever you're ready."

Luke looked to the women in the room with him, watching as they all nodded their consent. Taking a deep breath, he looked to Tony. "Let's do this."

Tony approached Lucky's bed and carefully removed the tube from his throat. "So far so good." He mused to himself. Taking a deep breath, he nodded to Luke, who placed his hand tentatively around the cord that supplied the energy for the machines. Closing his eyes, Luke tightened his grip and yanked on the cord.

Elizabeth sandwiched Lucky's hand between hers, bringing it up to her face. "Feel this Lucky. Remember what you're fighting for." After seeing Luke pull the plug, Elizabeth squeezed her eyes tightly closed, hoping there would be a new scene unfolding in front of her when she reopened them. Feeling her whole body tight with tension, she held her breath, waiting for an answer.

Bobbie wrenched her hands uncomfortably as she watched Luke pull the cord out from the wall. She felt worry coarse through her body. She had already lost so many people in her life. BJ. Laura. She couldn't lose her nephew too. She studied Tony's face closely, looking for some kind of reaction from him. After all this time, she could still read him easily. But right now she had no idea what he was thinking, and that scared her.

Tony carefully examined the patient that lay before him. Taking his vital signs, Tony lost all sense of professionalism as he turned to face his ex-wife and her brother. His voice cracking, he delivered the news. "I'm so sorry. He's gone."

Tony watched as Bobbie fell to her knees before Luke wrapped his arms around her. Seeing Amy and Lesley console each other, he started to walk towards the door so that the family could grieve in private.

After hearing Tony's statement, Elizabeth's eyes snapped open. Staring blankly into space for a few seconds, she could hardly register his words in her mind. It didn't make sense. How could Lucky die? This was the thing that was supposed to force him to come back to life, wasn't it? Overcome with grief, Elizabeth collapsed onto Lucky's chest as the tears spilled freely from her eyes.

Feeling her pain consume her, Elizabeth found small comfort in the steady and gentle beat of his heart beneath her. "His heart.." Elizabeth raised her head up a few inches as the realization hit her. Turning to face the rest of the room, Elizabeth raised her voice. "He's alive."

Elizabeth nervously paced in a small section of the hospital room as Tony examined Lucky once more. Luke and Bobbie stood dumb struck, as if they didn't dare hope that this was possible. What if this was just a false hope that was ripped away from them again?

Finishing with his examination, Tony gasped in surprise. "I…I don't believe it." He stammered, trying to make sense of the situation. A few minutes ago, there had been no heartbeat, no breath, no indication that Lucky was alive at all. Now, all of his vital signs appeared to be normal. Turning to look back at Tony and Bobbie, he felt horrible for all of the unnecessary pain that he had caused them. "His pulse is normal, he's breathing on his own...he's alive."

The room remained silent as everybody digested this new information. Luke felt a wave of relief go through his entire body. "Well what do you know. Maybe this miracle thing has some validity after all." Luke pondered to himself as he watched Tony make his son comfortable.

"What happens now?" Lesley questioned, breaking her silence.

"Well, there's no definitive answer. There's every indication that he should wake up soon. But we have to prepare ourselves for the possibility that Lucky might not be the same. It's possible that Lucky may have sustained any number of injuries." Tony paused to let this information sink in. "I am very hopeful. There was little chance that Lucky would even survive, so the fact that he did causes me to lean towards a perfectly healthy recovery." Tony forced a smile on his face as his inward conflicts wrestled within him. What had he done? Finishing up with Lucky, he exited the room quickly so that nobody could see his pained expression.

Bobbie saw a quick flash of emotion cross Tony's face. Silently removing herself, she shut the door securely behind her before catching up to him down the hallway.

"Tony!"

He stopped in his tracks, and turned around to face her. "Bobbie."

"I just wanted to thank you for everything you did in there. I mean, my nephew is alive, and probably well on his way to a full recovery, and I don't know what I would have done if you weren't there. Thanks for taking care of him."

"I stood there and took his vitals. It wasn't exactly a life-saving procedure. But Bobbie, look…don't get your hopes up, okay? Lucky hasn't even woken up yet, so don't get too ahead of yourself."

She watched as he shifted uncomfortably at the mention of Lucky's name. Seeing that same expression make a brief appearance across his features, she moved closer to him, watching him closely. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

Tony was amazed. After everything that had just happened with Lucky, it shocked him that Bobbie was so concerned about him. Smiling gently, he wasn't really surprised. That was just how Bobbie was. It was one of the reasons he had fallen in love with her in the first place.

Bobbie gently guided him over to a small sitting area. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

Tony looked into her eyes, and his mouth started moving before he could stop it. "Why are you wasting your time with me? I almost killed your nephew."

Emily fidgeted nervously as she waited for her call to be connected. Wrapping her fingers around the phone cord, she was about to hang up when she heard the familiar voice flood the line.

"Emily? Is that you?"

"Nikolas. It's so good to hear your voice."

"You too, baby. Is everything okay?"

Emily hesitated before she decided that this wasn't anything that could be said over the phone. "Can I see you this afternoon? I have something really important to tell you."

Luke Spencer crossed the hospital room and took a seat on the vacated stool next to his son's bed. Looking around the room, he saw the physical toll that this was taking on everybody. Amy and Lesley both looked exhausted, their eyes swollen and red. Looking to Elizabeth, Luke couldn't help but smile. She had taken up her previous position on the edge of Lucky's bed, holding his hand and talking to him softly.

"Well, I think that now the worst is over, we should all take a quick trip to the cafeteria. I think some coffee would do me good." Lesley looked around her, hoping somebody would accept her invitation. Amy nodded her agreement. "Elizabeth, are you coming?"

Elizabeth turned to face Amy. "What if he wakes up? I don't want to leave him alone."

"I'll stay with him, Elizabeth. Amy and Lesley are right. You've been here for hours, and a walk might do you some good."

Elizabeth nodded at Luke's words. A couple minutes away might help refresh her, and she could see that he wanted to spend some time alone with his son. "Well, I could check in with the nurses station…"

"Good." Amy smiled at her before tugging on her gently to lead her out of the room.

Closing the door firmly behind them, Elizabeth parted ways with the women. Heading to her mailbox, she was surprised by a delivery man standing in the doorway.

"Elizabeth Webber?"

"Yes, I'm Elizabeth."

"These are for you." Handing her a large bouquet, the man walked away before Elizabeth had an opportunity to thank him.

Placing the flowers on a nearby table, Elizabeth couldn't help but admire their beauty. They were white roses, each one crisp and perfect. She smiled as she inhaled the sweet scent of them. But why would these be delivered to her, of all people? Who would do this?

Reaching for the card that was tucked haphazardly inside the bouquet, Elizabeth felt a wave of emotion overtake her as she glanced at the familiar handwriting. The messy scrawl could only belong to one person. Opening the card carefully, she began to read.

_Elizabeth –_

_I'm sure that these don't require an explanation. You are one of the most amazing women that I know. You're brave and strong, and Cameron couldn't have hand-picked a better mother._

_The night we shared in the church will always be a precious memory to me. Even though time has passed and things have changed, I will always be thankful that you are a part of my life. As we grow closer, I look forward to the future, and I promise you this – whatever happens, I will be there. I don't know what the future holds, but I hope that you'll continue to be a part of it. I admire your strength, your courage, and your capacity to love. _

_Happy Valentines Day, _

_Lucky_

Elizabeth clutched the piece of paper close to her heart. With everything that had happened, she had completely forgotten that today was February 14th. She had to smile to herself. She had no idea how or when Lucky had planned this, but it was one of the most special gifts that she had ever received.

Sinking down on the padded chair, Elizabeth let her mind wander back to that night. To this day, that was still the most romantic night of her life. Looking back to the note, she wondered how much things had really changed. They had each moved on with their lives, in separate directions. They had become involved with new people, experienced different things. But still, something kept drawing them back to each other. And after receiving this very special gift from Lucky, Elizabeth realized that under the tough cop exterior, he still had the same heart. The important things never really changed.

Holding the note tightly, Elizabeth rose back to her feet and wandered back out into the hallway. Hopefully Lucky would be waking up soon, and Elizabeth wanted to be there when he did.

Luke felt almost giddy with excitement. After all of the doubts that people had planted in his head, he still knew best. Sure, what he just did may have been a gamble, but it was a risk that had to be taken. Lucky had pulled through. He would wake up soon, he just knew it. Nothing else mattered as long as his son was alive.

Luke shut his eyes, trying to contain his feelings. In the quiet of the hospital room, with the absence of the beeps and groans of the machinery, Luke's mind wandered to Laura.

Sometimes, when it was quiet like this, he could still feel her. He couldn't even remember all of the times that he had reached out to her at night, needing to feel her near, have her close to him. After all the time that had passed, that seemed to remain the same. She was a part of him, and no matter where she was or what condition she was in, she would never leave him. He felt her. And somewhere, deeply rooted inside of him, he felt her positive energy, her radiance, her light, reaching out to him as it must have done for Lucky. "Thank you, angel." He whispered into the silence.

"Luke?" He turned, hearing her voice call to him from behind. Shaking his head, he saw Elizabeth standing in the doorway.

"Is it okay if I come in?"

"Sure. Sure it is."

Elizabeth entered the room slowly, placing the flowers that she had carried with her onto the bedside table at the far end of the room.

Luke noticed how reluctantly she put the flowers down. "Who are those from?"

Elizabeth smiled softly. "An angel." She whispered.

Luke nodded in agreement. "I can understand that."

Bobbie and Amy slowly trudged up the stairs that led to Lucky's room. Their limbs fought them every step of the way, weak with the exhaustion and stress these last few weeks had provided them with. The coffee had tasted good, burning their tongues slightly. Tugging open the stairwell door, Lesley expressed the sentiment that they had both been avoiding.

"You know he might not wake up."

Amy nodded. "But he's breathing Lesley. He's alive."

"I just wonder how long we should wait here. Don't get me wrong. Lucky is my grandson and I love him. But how many days do we sit here by his side when there is a chance that nothing will happen?"

Amy thought back to all of her years working at this hospital. Pulling open the door to Lucky's room, she ended the conversation.

"Something will happen. We won't be waiting forever."

Luke and Elizabeth looked up as the women re-entered the room.

"I really appreciate the two of you being here. But you look exhausted. You should really go home, get some rest. I doubt that anything else is going to happen tonight."

"Thanks Luke, but we want to be here. Lucky is important to us too, and…"

"I understand that Amy. But there's really nothing else that you can do right now."

Lesley felt herself begin to get angry. So much had happened that had been out of her control, and she was so sick of it. She just wanted somebody to blame, somebody to take the fall for it. Laura. Lucky. When would all of this misery stop inflicting itself upon her family? Turning to Luke, Lesley felt herself losing her cool. "I wasn't able to be there for Laura, Luke. You took her away from me then. I won't let you do the same with her son."

Elizabeth shook her head. Things were about to get ugly.

Bobbie looked at Tony in shock. "Killed him? Tony, you've been Lucky's doctor for weeks. If anything, you're the one that has saved him."

Tony shook his head sadly. "No Bobbie. I am supposed to be a doctor. I am trained to save lives. But what have I done today? Encouraged Luke to take his own son off life support, convinced him that there was no chance that Lucky could survive. When we lost BJ…I swore that I would use my position so that no other parent would have to go through what we did, as long as I could stop it. But I failed. I made a promise to BJ, and I failed her. Again."

Bobbie tentatively put an arm around her ex-husband. He had begun to falter when he spoke of their daughter, and now, as she realized that he was being eaten up inside, she felt the need to reach out to him. But how could she possibly convince Tony that this wasn't his fault? Before she could find the words, he continued.

"I misread his vitals, Bobbie. There's no other explanation. How else could he have changed so drastically in a matter of seconds? If I can't do simple things, monitor a patient correctly, advise a parent without my own hang ups getting in the way, what right do I have to practice medicine?"

Slumping down in his seat, Tony cupped his face in his hands. He hadn't meant to pour his heart out to Bobbie, and now that he had, he didn't know what to do next.

"Tony, look at me." She pulled his face up until his eyes were even with hers. "You didn't fail BJ, and you didn't fail Lucky. You are an amazing father, and you're one of the best doctors I've ever known. What do I have to do to convince you of that?"

Tony reached for her free hand, gently squeezing it in his. "I appreciate the concern, but I think this is something I have to take some time to think about. Besides, you should really be with your nephew. He's the one that needs you right now."

Standing up, Tony gave her one last look before walking away. Bobbie called after him. When there was no response, she stood up herself, taking a minute to collect her thoughts before heading back to see Lucky.

"We're not finished yet." She declared before heading off in the opposite direction.

Bobbie entered Lucky's room silently, hoping not to disturb anyone. Once the door cracked open, she realized that she had just walked into what could potentially escalate into World War III.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you had no right…"

"I did what I thought was best for her…what else would you have had me do?"

Bobbie tried yelling over the noise, but nothing seemed to break through to the two of them. Trying to collect her thoughts, Bobbie placed her hands over her ears to drown out the sound. This was the last thing Lucky needed.

Elizabeth looked down at Lucky, squeezing his hand tighter. She knew that everybody was upset, but she was giving them thirty more seconds of this until she kicked them out of the room. Deciding that their time was up, she rose to her feet. Feeling a gentle pressure on her hand, she froze. Bobbie whistled between her fingers, making Luke and Lesley come to an abrupt halt. As the room finally silenced, Elizabeth's small voice could finally be heard.

"I think he's waking up."

Luke took his place on the stool by Lucky's bedside. Watching as his fingers slowly began to twitch, he realized that Elizabeth was right.

"Everything else suddenly doesn't seem as important anymore, does it?" he questioned Lesley while they gathered around the bed. Finally wrenching his eyes open, Lucky looked at his father. Attempting to smile weakly, he croaked out words that everybody had been waiting weeks to hear.

"Some things just never change, huh Dad?"

Luke looked at him with a mixture of happiness and disbelief written on his face. "Cowboy…I…"

Lucky waved his hand dismissively. "It doesn't really matter now. What happened to me?"

Bobbie stepped in closer to him, examining him closely. "Don't talk Lucky. You had a ventilation tube in your throat up until a few minutes ago, so don't strain yourself. We need to get you checked out and make sure everything is okay. We'll go over all of this later, okay?"

"Let's just leave it at this cowboy. You're awake now, and everything's going to be fine." Luke leaned in closer to his son, whispering softly in his ear. "I know I don't tell you this enough, but I'm so proud of the man that you've become. You're so important to me, and I don't know what I'd do without you, Lucky. I love you."

Lucky felt tears spring to his eyes as he watched his dad. Remembering his aunt's warning, he mouthed the words to Luke. _I love you_.

"Aunt Bobbie." Lucky called his aunt to his side so that he could speak more easily. As his father crossed the room, he leaned in close to her. "I know that you were probably the one fighting for me here, holding the family together. Thank you."

"I'm so glad you're alive Lucky. We were all really worried about you for a while there. But fighting for you…I don't know. I think you might want to thank her." She gestured over to Elizabeth's direction with a casual bob of her head.

Turning his head in the opposite direction, Lucky finally recognized that somebody had a tight grip on his right hand. Looking down at it, he slowly moved his gaze upward until he was looking into the most beautiful face that he had ever encountered. A huge grin spread across his face.

Seeing the look that had entered her nephew's eyes upon this discovery, Bobbie cleared her throat.

"Well, I think we should go and track down Tony, see what he has to say about all of this." Giving her family a pointed look, she followed them out the doorway, leaving one last demand for her nephew. "Remember what I said, Lucky. Don't strain your throat. Don't talk." With that, she closed the door behind her.

Elizabeth had promised herself that she wouldn't cry in front of Lucky. But now, as she saw his eyes tracing her face, she lost her resolve. She felt the tears well up in her eyes and start their slow journey down her cheeks.

Lucky continued to look at her, as if he wanted to remember every detail about her. Finally being satisfied, he brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on the skin.

"Elizabeth…" she noticed that his voice sounded weaker, more strained.

"Shhh…you remember what Bobbie said." Putting her index finger lightly on his lips, she stopped any more sound from escaping from him. Nodding in agreement, he reached his hands out to her, drying the tears that had begun to fall.


End file.
